Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Senate Natural Resources and Water beginning at 9am. Click here for more information.
- LEG HEARING: Senate Environmental Quality Committee beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include Current Hydrologic Conditions and Response, California Wastewater Needs Assessment – Phase 1 completion and next steps, Office of the Delta Watermaster: Periodic Report, Quarterly Delta Stewardship Council Lead Scientist’s Report, and 2025 Mid-Year Enforcement Data and Program Update. Click here for the full agenda.
- MEETING: CA Water Commission beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include State Water Project Briefing: 2025 Budget Process and Operations Update, Water Storage Investment Program: Projects Update, Informational Update on Dam Safety Permitting, Water Storage Investment Program: Sites Project Ecosystem Benefit Overview, Water Storage Investment Program: Sites Project Update, and Water Storage Investment Program: Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project Update. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Art and Data for Action: Transforming Complex Data Into Engaging Solutions For Critical Climate Issues from 10am to 11am. Digital storytelling is a cornerstone of business decisions, resource management and community engagement in solutions development. As data from all aspects of our lives grows, making sense of it is increasingly critical. We are facing this challenge in communities worldwide–including our own–where Colorado River water supplies are shrinking and seven states and two countries seek big solutions. The data behind these issues is complex and often inaccessible to those most impacted, including decision-makers. To meet these challenges, we must bridge art, design, storytelling, and data. When integrated, these disciplines turn complex datasets into engaging, accessible narratives that resonate widely. This approach not only democratizes information but empowers communities to act. Through case studies, this webinar shows how the fusion of art and data can reveal patterns, build empathy, and drive collective action. Visual storytelling is more than a tool—it’s a necessity for shaping sustainable, inclusive solutions in a data-driven world. Click here to register.
- IN-PERSON: Energy Management at Santa Margarita Water District from 11:30am to 1:00pm in Irvine. Santa Margarita Water District is taking practical steps to better manage its $9.4 million annual energy bill through a combination of alternative energy generation, demand-side strategies, and future planning. SMWD is steadily evolving from reactive energy management to a more strategic, systems-based approach. Projects highlighted include solar, microturbines and battery systems. The District is also applying smarter operational strategies such as staggered equipment start times and peak shaving to reduce costly demand spikes. Plan now to join us July 16 for an in-depth look at how one district is positioning itself to manage rising energy costs and potential shortages. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
A closer look at how predation and flow impact salmon survival
“As California’s Chinook salmon fishing season sits on pause for the third consecutive year, the future of the species dangles in the balance. The fish, historically abundant, now hover near record lows, with the adult population in coastal waters and Central Valley rivers representing about one tenth of late 20th century averages. The precipitous crash has stakeholders on edge, and how to turn it around is an urgent matter of discussion among scientists, officials and the fishing community. Many experts say that reviving the state’s Chinook salmon runs is, in principle, a simple task: Restore the river and riparian habitat vital for migration and spawning, and the fish will return. But there is another element in the mix: nonnative predators. Fishes including largemouth bass and striped bass, introduced to California decades ago, eat many young salmon born in the Central Valley. It’s a problem that some farmers, lawmakers and scientists want to tackle with targeted predator removal programs. This approach, they have argued, could be the best unused tool in the salmon recovery toolbox. “We’ve been trying the same things, regulating flows and habitat restoration … for 20 or 30 years, and here we are in the third season of a salmon fishery closure,” said biologist Dana Lee, who works for the private research firm FishBio and has been studying nonnative predator impacts on salmon in the Stanislaus River, a San Joaquin tributary. “These things don’t seem to be working, so what other options do we have?” … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
California farmers identify a hot new cash crop: Solar power
“Imagine that you own a small, 20-acre farm in California’s Central Valley. You and your family have cultivated this land for decades, but drought, increasing costs and decreasing water availability are making each year more difficult. Now imagine that a solar-electricity developer approaches you and presents three options: You can lease the developer 10 acres of otherwise productive cropland, on which the developer will build an array of solar panels and sell electricity to the local power company; You can select 1 or 2 acres of your land on which to build and operate your own solar array, using some electricity for your farm and selling the rest to the utility; or you can keep going as you have been, hoping your farm can somehow survive. Thousands of farmers across the country, including in the Central Valley, are choosing one of the first two options. A 2022 survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that roughly 117,000 U.S. farm operations have some type of solar device. Our own work has identified over 6,500 solar arrays currently located on U.S. farmland. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Abandoned crops bring pest plague to adjacent farms
“California farmers, agricultural commissioners and lawmakers have in recent months sounded an alarm about a troubling symptom of the state’s struggling farm economy. “Everywhere you turn there’s an abandoned vineyard,” said Randy Baranek, project manager for the Stanislaus County-based agricultural service provider Fowler Brothers. He estimated there are twice as many untended grapevines in the Central Valley this year than he has ever seen. “It’s a mess.” It isn’t only vineyards. Tens of thousands of acres of almond orchards have been left unmanaged, according to a 2024 report by Land IQ. “I don’t remember a year when there were this many abandoned orchards,” said Michael Naito, who grows winegrapes, almonds and pistachios in Fresno and Madera counties. “Guys just don’t have the money to take them out.” Historically, when an orchard or vineyard neared the end of its productive life, farmers wasted little time replacing it with new trees or vines that would bring them a higher return, Naito said. But with low crop prices plaguing farmers, he said, “that urgency to take out an orchard or vineyard and replant is not there.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
A living shoreline, built one oyster at a time
“From the eelgrass-lined shallows of Southern California to the tide-sloshed inlets of Puget Sound, scientists and restoration teams are betting on a humble bivalve to do more than just survive. Placed in the right context, oysters and their habitat partners, like eelgrass and cordgrass, can buffer waves, trap sediment, increase biodiversity, and create living, shifting edges that grow with the coast. But success is far from guaranteed. Restoration teams are grappling with climate stress, crab invasions, and a coastline crowded with human activity. They’re also experimenting with just how much grey infrastructure this local species needs to stand taller in the path of waves and sea level rise. Can these tiny creatures — and the scientists who study them — hold the line? … ” Read more at Knee Deep Times.
Teeny tiny trackers take to the water
“For biologists around the world, the invention of small, portable acoustic, radio, and satellite tracking tags has revolutionized their understanding of where animals go and how they live. But limitations in the technology mean they’ve only studied a fraction of underwater life, says Robert Lennox, a biologist at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Consider, for instance, the delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus). These slender, silvery fish—which average just 6.5-centimeters (2.5-inches) long—are found only in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. To help the fish recover, scientists want to restore the delta and manage how water flows across the land, as well as boost the population with hatchery-raised smelt. But to concentrate their efforts on what will benefit the fish the most, scientists still need to answer some pretty fundamental questions about how smelt use their delta. Now, however, breakthroughs in tagging technology are opening a window into the lives of smelt and other small swimmers—a shift some scientists say could transform our understanding of the underwater world’s more minute creatures. … ” Read the full story at Biographic.
Delta Stewardship Council awards nearly $6 million for new Delta research
“The Delta Stewardship Council has announced that its Delta Science Program will award $5.9 million to fund eight critical scientific studies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh over the next three years. In addition to the eight projects selected for Delta Science Program funding, the State Water Contractors will fund two studies that support recovery efforts for endangered fish in the Delta, bringing the total awards to over $7.8 million. “Consistent research funding is so important to what we are all trying to accomplish in the Delta,” says Council Chair Julie Lee. “It ensures that the best possible science informs our state’s environmental decision-making. The Delta is changing rapidly, and these studies will equip us with new and better tools for predicting and adapting to those changes.” … ” Read more from the Delta Stewardship Council.
Trump cuts to California National Weather Service leave ‘critical’ holes: ‘It’s unheard of’
“Some National Weather Service offices in California are among those hit hardest by meteorologist vacancies, according to new data from an employee union — heightening concerns as the state contends with another potentially devastating fire season and the ongoing threat of extreme weather. The staffing shortages have forced some offices to outsource overnight operations to neighboring offices or reduce how often they issue forecast products that help keep decision-makers and first responders abreast of potentially hazardous weather conditions. Trump administration officials have rejected the idea that recent cuts have imperiled the weather service’s operations — even as those decisions have come under increased scrutiny following disastrous flooding in Texas that left at least 132 people dead. With fire season intensifying, California will be a key test case to determine the impact of the cuts. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Attorney General Bonta strongly urges DOE to halt unlawful rescission of efficiency standards
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 15 attorneys general, alongside Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, New York Attorney General Tish James, and the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York Muriel Goode-Trufant, in submitting comment letters to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) strongly urging the department to refrain from moving forward with its proposed deregulatory actions. Last month, the DOE proposed 16 rules that would erode water and energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances and commercial equipment. In today’s comment letters, the coalition argues that these rollbacks, if implemented, would be unlawful, would harm consumers and businesses by increasing utility costs, and would contribute to climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions. “As energy costs reach historic highs, the President continues to break his promise to Americans of ‘driving costs down’ on Day One. Not only are these rules unlawful, but they will also drive up energy costs for business and consumers and harm our environment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general nationwide, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to refrain from adopting these rollbacks and maintain the current common-sense water and energy efficiency standards.” … ” Read more from AG Bonta.
Attorney General Bonta sues Trump Administration for illegally shutting down longstanding disaster prevention program
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit challenging the unlawful termination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Since 2020, FEMA has made billions of dollars available under the BRIC program to prepare for and mitigate the risks from disasters before they happen. From flooding to wildfires to landslides to earthquakes, California is uniquely at risk from natural disasters and the largest beneficiary of this program; already, it has been awarded tens of millions of dollars, and if the program continues, could receive over a billion more for projects that FEMA had selected for grant funding. In today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta, alongside a coalition of 19 other states, asks the court to compel FEMA to reverse the unlawful termination of the BRIC program so that communities across the country can protect themselves from natural disasters before they strike. … ” Read more from AG Bonta.
This is what is keeping California cool while the rest of the U.S. sizzles
“While much of the country has endured a barrage of historic floods and punishing heat and humidity this month, California’s summer has been surprisingly tame. The Bay Area is already on track for one of its coolest starts to summer in decades, and forecast data suggest that trend isn’t going anywhere. The Climate Prediction Center calls for continued below average temperatures across the state, essentially through the end of the month. The lingering cool trend is a result of a broader atmospheric setup that’s been locked in for weeks. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In commentary today …
Why California’s agricultural industry is at odds over converting land to solar farms
Columnist Dan Walters writes, “The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water to farmers in the southeastern corner of California, drew a figurative line in the sand earlier this month, calling for a halt to the conversion of agricultural fields into solar panel farms. Noting that more than 13,000 acres of fertile land had already been converted, the water district asked the Imperial County Board of Supervisors to protect productive farmland. “Our identity and economy in the Imperial Valley are rooted in agriculture,” Gina Dockstader, who chairs the district board, said in a statement. “Solar energy has a role in our region’s future, but it cannot come at the cost of our farmland, food supply, or the families who depend on agriculture. This resolution is about protecting our way of life.” … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Do you want Sacramento to look like Orange County? It could happen
Opinion writer Tom Philp writes, “Descending in a jet that is about to land at Sacramento International Airport offers a reminder of why the state capital is a special place. There is the downtown skyline, then a bucolic stretch of the Sacramento River, vast swaths of farmland, and then suddenly the runway. The descent years from now may feel more like landing in suburban Orange County because Sacramento County has given the green light to consider thousands of acres of farmland for growth. The Natomas Basin isn’t some barren, lifeless landscape. The 50,000-some acres of land surrounding this airport are home to 22 different protected species, some of them endangered. Recognizing this land’s importance to both the valley environment and the economy, an existing growth/habitat plan for the last two decades has sought to carefully balance both values. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath River Accord signed by groups from around world
“The First Descent was more than an achievement for youth from tribes along the Klamath River. As part of the celebration for the 30-day, Source-to-Sea 310-mile journey, the Indigenous youth along with others from river basins around the world signed the first-ever Klamath River Accord on Sunday. The accord is described by officials as “a call to action for dam removals and a halt to new construction of dams across the globe.” Along with Indigenous youth, it was signed by tribal leaders and allied organizations from multiple river basins around the world — including Chile, Bolivia, New Zealand, China, and the United States. Signing of the Klamath River Accord was the culmination of a two-day “Global Free Rivers Symposium” held in Requa, Calif., which is located near where the Klamath River reaches the Pacific Ocean. It followed the first Source-to-Sea descent of the Klamath River by multi-tribal youth that celebrated the largest dam removals in U.S. history. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Restoration begins on Klamath River tributaries following historic dam removal
“Restoration work is now underway on five key tributaries of the Klamath River following the largest dam removal and river restoration project in US history. The effort aims to support the recovery of native fish populations, including salmon, that once thrived in the watershed spanning northern California and southern Oregon. Design and engineering firm Stantec, working as a subcontractor for Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), is leading the restoration design of Beaver Creek, Jenny Creek, Spencer Creek, Camp Creek, and Scotch Creek. These streams were partially submerged for more than a century due to dam reservoirs. The last of four hydroelectric dams was removed in 2024 as part of the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA), reopening more than 400 miles of fish habitat. The removal marked a key milestone for tribal nations, anglers, and conservation groups that advocated for river restoration. The Klamath River, once home to the third-largest salmon population in the western US, suffered sharp declines due to habitat loss caused by the dams. … ” Read more from International Water & Power.
In Redwood Valley, PG&E lays out bold plans — few show up to listen
“Turnout was sparse for Pacific Gas and Electric’s July 1 Open House at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley — a missed opportunity for local residents to meet directly with PG&E leadership, including North Coast Regional Vice President Dave Canny. The event, held inside the school’s gymnasium, featured a range of informational booths on wildfire prevention, vegetation management, customer support programs, and updates on the Potter Valley Project. Representatives were stationed around the room to answer questions and share materials with attendees. PG&E’s plan to decommission the Potter Valley Project was a key topic. Tony Gigliotti, PG&E’s Senior Licensing Project Manager for Power Generation, was available to explain the utility’s surrender application and decommissioning timeline. … ” Read more from Mendo Fever.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Chico’s Sycamore Pool to be closed due to Park Fire sediment removal project
“Sycamore Pool in Bidwell Park will be closed starting Wednesday, July 16, through Friday, July 18, for sediment removal and cleaning. According to the City of Chico, the pool’s cleaning was delayed due to the migration of protected Spring-run Chinook Salmon. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife requested the city hold off on the cleaning until after mid-June. Necessary permits were updated and expedited for the sediment removal. City officials say that the pool has accumulated more sediment than usual due to heavy winter rains following the Park Fire, which washed debris into the pool. The increased sediment has notably reduced the pool’s depth, particularly on the west end. “At this time of year, we are usually on a steady biweekly cleaning schedule at Sycamore Pool,” said Shane Romain, City of Chico Parks and Natural Resources Manager. “We now have the necessary updated permits and will work quickly to remove the built-up sediment and return to a regular biweekly cleaning schedule.” … ” Read more from Action News Now.
BAY AREA
Oysters, snails and a wall that protects against climate change — 1 tile at a time
“Crabs. Mussels. Mustard-yellow sea slugs. These sea critters are just some of the organisms scientists discovered living on temporary cement tiles attached to San Francisco’s seawall this week. Divers removed them from underwater near the Ferry Building as part of a marine-life census. The partnership between the Port of San Francisco and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center aims to boost biodiversity around a reconstructed seawall, which the city needs here to protect the busy financial district from rising bay water, a result of human-caused climate change. Scientists inspected the frilly 1-foot concrete tiles on Monday and rushed them to the lab for further testing. They found a few native seaweed species, including Turkish towel, rainbow seaweed, and the crisscross network, or Polyneura latissima — a type that resembles a pile of reddish-brown leaves fallen from a tree and soaked with autumn rain. … ” Read more from KQED.
SEE ALSO: Nine Tiles Hint at Preferred Textures for Seawall Life, from Knee Deep Times
Charter city debate, water rates, union contracts: Pleasanton council gears up for packed meeting
“The City Council will be voting on accepting the city’s 2025 Water Rate Study Report and authorizing staff to notify residents and water users about the proposed water rate and sewer rate increases that the council will vote on approving later this year. The report helped the city and consultants develop this year’s proposed water and sewer rate increases — under Proposition 218, the city must now notify the public about these proposed changes and provide detailed information on why these increases are necessary. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
How Valley Water helped stop the ground from sinking in San José
“Did you know that parts of downtown San José used to be up to 14 feet higher than they are today? Due to a phenomenon called subsidence, the ground actually sank. Thanks to Valley Water’s long-standing efforts to protect and manage our groundwater, subsidence is no longer an issue in Santa Clara County. Since our founding in 1929, we’ve made huge strides to protect the region’s most precious resource: water. Subsidence is the gradual sinking or sudden settling of the Earth’s surface. While it can be triggered by natural events like sinkholes, earthquakes, or volcanic activity, it’s most often caused by human actions, especially the excessive removal of underground resources like water. In Santa Clara County, the biggest cause of subsidence has been the overpumping of groundwater from clay and silt-rich basins faster than it can be replenished naturally. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
Local watchdog group releases report on Moss Landing Battery plant fire
“Never Again Moss Landing, a local watchdog group, released a report claiming a lack of oversight and several key failures contributed to the Jan. 16 fire at Vistra’s Moss Landing battery storage facility. Community members gathered at Prunedale Grange Monday night to listen to the group’s presentation. The group claims the battery storage facility stored more than 50,000 lithium-ion batteries in a tightly packed, double-stack layout with less than 6 feet of space in between rows, which they say contributed to the severity of the fire when the suppression systems failed. “Vistra installed and operated a high-risk, densely packed indoor storage layout that was prone to completely burn up all the batteries on the floor,” said Ed Mitchell, a volunteer with Never Again Moss Landing. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Federal agency wants to open 122,500 acres of SLO County land to oil drilling
“More than 122,500 acres of San Luis Obispo County land could open to oil and gas leasing if the Bureau of Land Management revives a management plan developed during President Donald Trump’s first term. On June 23, the bureau published a notice in the Federal Registrar announcing plans to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement and a resource management plan that would evaluate the impact of allowing oil and gas leasing on land and mineral estate managed by its Bakersfield Field Office. The Bakersfield Field Office manages 612,000 acres of public lands through eastern Fresno, western Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties, along with 1.2 million acres of federal mineral estate — some of which lies under privately owned land, its website said. The plan would offer 122,546 acres of San Luis Obispo County lands to oil and gas leasing, according to the Los Padres ForestWatch, a nonprofit that advocates for the conservation of public lands. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Times.
Solvang to begin major water line construction in Nyborg Estates
“Residents in Solvang’s Nyborg Estates neighborhood are preparing for months of construction as the city breaks ground on a major infrastructure overhaul next week. The City of Solvang is set to begin a $2.4 million water main replacement effort designed to overhaul decades-old pipes, valves, and hydrants — a project city leaders say is essential to preventing water loss and pipe failures in the years to come. Construction officially begins Monday, July 21, and will stretch through February 2026, bringing months of road work, temporary shutoffs, and increased traffic through the neighborhood. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
River Partners removed nearly one mile of concrete from the Riverbank
“In November last year, River Partners completed one our most challenging projects to date: removing nearly one mile of illegally dumped concrete from the San Joaquin River at Dos Rios State Park near Modesto. This isn’t the photogenic, tree-planting side of river restoration. This is the hard-to-fund, harder-to-permit work of clearing garbage from riverbanks. “It felt like peeling off a band-aid,” said Senior Restoration Ecologist Neil Wilson, who successfully guided the project through three years of a permitting gauntlet. This effort was about far more than hauling away concrete rubble. It was about restoring a river’s ability to meander and, ultimately, its health. When rivers meander, they can recharge aquifers, reconnect historic floodplains, improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and create desperately needed habitat for struggling wildlife. There’s one species in particular that stands to benefit immensely: the bank swallow. … ” Read more from River Partners.
Fresno County irrigation district proposes large fee hike to help it capture more Kings River flood water
“Growers in southern Fresno County are facing a possible 137% increase in land assessment fees that the Consolidated Irrigation District hopes will help it nearly double its recharge capacity and capture more Kings River flood water. Consolidated, which covers about 141,000 acres in central southern Fresno County, is holding a Proposition 218 election, which is required before increasing land assessment or pumping fees, Aug. 5 to raise its assessment fees from $55 per acre to a maximum of $126 per acre for growers who get surface water. Those fees will fund new projects to gather more flood water off the Kings River during wet years and repair aging canals. Consolidated also acts as the Central Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and is tasked with managing the area’s groundwater to bring aquifers into balance by 2040, per the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Lemoore to restart construction of water treatment plants four years after explosion derailed the project
“The City of Lemoore opened the bidding process July 1 to finish a project to replace two water treatment plants six years after the project first got underway. Work on the plants was about 75% complete in 2021 when an explosion launched a 1.5 million-gallon tank 70 feet in the air. A construction worker, 41-year-old welder Dian Jones, died in the accident. The project stalled after Jones’ family sued Lemoore. “The treatment project was paused because of the ongoing litigation,” Mayor Patricia Matthews confirmed. A case management conference is scheduled for Aug. 20 with a trial date set for May 20, 2026. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
New director hired at Tulare County trust dedicated to preserving farmland through water conservation
“Springville native Nick Reed-Krase is the new executive director of the Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust. Reed-Krase, 39, came on board in June and is already making the rounds at water agency meetings and getting to know growers and residents in the Tule subbasin, which covers the southern half of Tulare County’s flatlands. The trust’s primary goal is to preserve farming by strategically fallowing less productive land to use it for habitat. The groundwater associated with those retired lands can then be used on more productive farmground and the ecosystem. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Water district asks judge to allow challenge to city’s housing element approval
“Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District doubled down on its ongoing dispute with the city of Tehachapi last week, asking a judge to add a challenge to the city’s recently adopted housing element to an existing lawsuit. In a Sacramento Superior Court filing on July 10, the water district asked Judge Stephen Acquisto to expand its September 2021 litigation against the city to include projects and tentative tract maps approved by the city since that filing — including the city’s recently adopted housing element update. A housing element is part of the city’s General Plan and must also be approved by the state Department of Housing and Community Development. The City Council adopted the document — officially known as the 6th Cycle Housing Element — on July 7. At the same time, the council determined that the housing element is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. … ” Read moire from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Rancho Palos Verdes wants to ban new construction in the landslide area — again
“It looks like Mother Nature will win again in Rancho Palos Verdes. City officials are looking to permanently ban new construction in the Portuguese Bend area, where landslides have damaged hundreds of homes — and threaten many more. City officials are holding a town hall Wednesday to seek residents’ input. But little will be surprising. After all, we’ve been here before. Here’s a brief recap. The peninsula is known for its breathtaking views — and an unstable geography that has been shifting and sliding for more than 250,000 years, albeit very, very slowly. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Innovative facility develops method to produce drinking water from purified sewage: ‘Tastes like water … because it is water’
“At first read, a water recycling plan coming out of California sounds tough to swallow. That’s because the Groundwater Replenishment System in Orange County intends to mass-produce drinking water from purified sewage to combat shortages in dry regions, according to The Guardian. It builds on similar work already being done that churns out clean water by the millions of gallons. And if given a cup, you likely wouldn’t notice the difference between it and tap water, according to a firsthand account. The newspaper’s Katharine Gammon toured the facility and tried it. The cup she held had written on it, “Tastes like water … because it is water.” “I drink a cup of the stuff, expecting a whiff of what it used to be — but no, it’s super clean, with almost a flat taste. That’s because it no longer contains any salts or minerals — they have been blasted out by the cleaning process,” Gammon wrote. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
SAN DIEGO
State legislation for Tijuana River crisis stalls in Assembly
“The California State Assembly denied a hearing for Senate Bill 10, a bill that would use toll road revenues to help combat the Tijuana River pollution crisis. The bill, SB 10, would use funds from tolls collected at the proposed East Otay Mesa toll facility to address water and air pollution. Additionally, the funds would help offset the financial obligations of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant treats up to 25 million gallons of wastewater a day from the Tijuana River, but critics argue that the capacity falls far short of the need. The plant is currently undergoing a fast-tracked expansion. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
The west’s Megadrought might not let up for decades, study suggests
“A megadrought has sapped water supplies, ravaged farms and ranches, and fueled wildfires across the American Southwest for going on 25 years. Not in 12 centuries has the region been so dry for so long. Now comes worse news: Relief might still be decades away. According to new findings published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the dry spell is no mere bout of bad luck, no rough patch that could end anytime soon. Instead, it seems to be the result of a pattern of Pacific Ocean temperatures that is “stuck” because of global warming, said Victoria Todd, a doctoral student in paleoclimatology at the University of Texas at Austin who led the new research. That means the drought could continue through 2050, perhaps even 2100 and beyond — effectively, Ms. Todd said, for as long as humans keep heating up the planet. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
SEE ALSO: Relief From Drought in Southwest U.S. Likely Isn’t Coming, According to New Research, from University of Texas
Report: Proposed Tucson data centers would guzzle water, eat power
“A data center project near Tucson will use the equivalent of about two golf course’s worth of water a year once fully built out, a new draft agreement between city and Project Blue released Monday says. The data center complex proposed near the Pima County fairgrounds and another within the city limits would become both the top water and electricity user in the area, officials said. The Tucson City Council is expected to discuss Project Blue for the first time during its afternoon study session on Aug. 6. No action will be taken at the meeting because the discussion is for information only, City Manager Tim Thomure said Monday. The first action the council must take will be to consider annexation of the the 290-acre parcel of land near the fairgrounds. That could happen when the council meets Aug. 19 and be final by October, the city says. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.
In national water news today …
House appropriators OK cuts to Interior, EPA, other agencies
“House Appropriations subcommittees approved three fiscal 2026 bills Tuesday with significant cuts to energy, environment and climate initiatives. The House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee passed its bill on a party-line 8-5 vote. The legislation would slash funding for the Interior Department, EPA and other environmental agencies, though not as deeply as proposed by President Donald Trump’s budget plan. Subcommittee Chair Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) noted the legislation has funding for EPA grants that support water infrastructure and reduce air pollution. In addition, it targets several agency rules for the power sector. “The bill doubles down on rolling back burdensome and costly regulations from the prior administration, and it helps unleash American energy and domestic mineral development,” Simpson said. … ” Read more from E&E News.
NOAA was developing a way to predict extreme rainfall — until Trump officials stopped it
“The Commerce Department has indefinitely suspended work on a crucial tool to help communities predict how rising global temperatures will alter the frequency of extreme rainfall, according to three current and former federal officials familiar with the decision, a move that experts said will make the country more vulnerable to storms supercharged by climate change. The tool is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlas 15 project — a massive dataset that will show how often storms of a given duration and intensity could be expected to occur at locations across the United States. The project was intended to be published in two volumes: one that would assess communities’ current risks, and a second that would project how those risks will change under future climate scenarios. The release of Atlas 15 had been long awaited by civil engineers, regional planners and other groups that use NOAA’s precipitation frequency estimates to develop regulations and design infrastructure. Many parts of the country rely on decades-old data to determine their rainfall risks, and there is no authoritative national dataset of how rainfall and flood threats will rise in a warmer world. … ” Read more from the Washington Post..
Federal disaster aid is uncertain for states even as Texas floods underscore need
“With hurricane and wildfire season well underway across much of the country, state and local emergency managers say they have little idea how much support the federal government will provide if disaster strikes. And the recent deadly floods in Texas have shown just how dire the need can be. President Donald Trump has imposed severe cuts on the Federal Emergency Management Agency and denied some states’ requests for disaster recovery funds. FEMA also has failed to issue grants that many emergency managers rely on to fund their agencies — or to communicate its plans. Wyoming’s Office of Homeland Security, which responds to disasters, relies on the feds for 92% of its money, said Director Lynn Budd. With that federal support in question, the state could face a precarious situation when the current grants expire at the end of September. “If we don’t get this funding, what are we going to do?” Budd said. “You’re taking our capability away.” … ” Read more from Stateline.
Conservation group slams rollback of key marine habitat protections
“The Trump administration’s proposal to redefine the term “harm” under the Endangered Species Act would threaten several vulnerable marine species, the Center for Biological Diversity warned in a lawsuit filed Tuesday. According to the environmental group’s Freedom of Information suit, brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Department of Commerce’s National Marine Fisheries Service proposed the change on April 17, suggesting the current definition for harm does not match “the single, best meaning of the statute.” The environmental group asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Donald Trump appointee, to order the fisheries service to turn over documents and communication records that mention, discuss or document the development of the proposal. “If finalized, the services’ recession of the regulatory definition of ‘harm’ could upend the sensible approach they have utilized for decades to require reasonably prudent measures or alternatives to avoid habitat destruction that may otherwise lead to extinction,” the environmental group wrote. “The center is unaware of any scientific or regulatory need for the recission.” … ” Read more from the Courthouse News.
